Electrical switch



Dec. 20, 1938.

O. FROLAND ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Feb. 23, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTOE/YEV Dec. 20, 1938. o. FROLAND 2,140,907

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Feb. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OLAI/ F/aoLA/vp By PM A 71-012 IYE v Patented Dec. 20, 1938 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL swrrcn Olav Froiand, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of ltflssouri Application February 23, 1937, Serial No. 127,077

6 Claims.

gang-operated switch structures adapted for dis- 6 position adjacent to the tops of conductor-supporting poles and operable to simultaneously make and break electrical connections between portions of a plurality of conductor lines, the predominant object of the invention being to provide such a 10 switch structure with substantially rigid means for transmitting electrical energy from one mov able part of the switch structure to another movable part thereof whereby the use of loose, flexible connections for this purpose is eliminated.

Briefly stated switch structures of the type to which this invention relates comprise a stationary contact assembly and .a movable contact assembly, said movable contact ass'embly usually having associated therewith suitable operating means which provide for movement of the movable contact assembly into and out of electrical association with the stationary contact assembly from a position some distance below the position of the switch structure at the top of a pole.

Also ordinarily a switch structure oi. this description includes a flexible length of cable which is electrically connected to the movable contact assembly and serves as a shunt or jumper for con- '0 ducting electrical energy from the line conductor with which the switch structure is associated to said movable switch assembly. These flexible lengths of cable are objectionable in the use of switch structures of this type because they are u more or less loose and free and produce a loop of considerable proportions when the movable contact assembly is drawn to the open switch position.

The main purpose of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved switch structure which include improved substantially rigid mechanical means for transmitting electrical energy from the line conductor to the movable contact assembly whereby the use of the objectionable flexible shunt or jumper is entirely eliminated.

45 Fig. l is' a side elevation of a pole top switch which includes as a part thereof my improved means for transmitting electrical energy from the line conductor with which the switch is associated to the movable contact assembly of the switch, a part of a. pole being associated with the switch.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the improved energy conducting means of the switch illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2 a part thereof being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the improved energy conducting means illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

For the purpose of this application I have illustrated the invention in association with a switch unit of a gang-operated switch structure of the type disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent flied in my name on March 9, 1936, Serial No. 67,807 now Patent No. 2,129,270 issued Sept. 6, 1938, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to use with switch structures of this particular type but may be employed with equally efficient results as a part of gangoperated switch structures of diii'erent construction and arrangement.

In the drawings, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention A designates generally the switch structure illustrated in Fig. 1 which is shown as being mounted at the top of a pole B. As illustrated the switch structure is secured to the pole B through the instrumentality of cross members I which are disposed at opposite sides of the pole and are suitably secured thereto. Supported upon and secured to the cross members I is a channel beam 2, said channel beam being attached to the cross members I by bolts 3.

The particular switch unit illustrated includes a stationary contact assembly So and a movable contact assembly Sb, the stationary contact assembly including an insulating member 4 which is secured at its lower end to the upper flange 5 of a bracket 6, and this bracket is secured by bolts 1 to the channel beam 2. The insulating member of the stationary contact assembly is extended upwardly in an inclined plane and secured to said insulating member at its upper end by means of bolts 8 is a contact-supporting plate 9. The contend outwardly therefrom in opposite directions and these extensions support rods it which serve to limit lateral movement of the contact elements ll.-

able rod i1 also has fixed thereto an arm 2| to the outer end of which is pivotally attached the upper end portion of an operating element 22, said operating element being pivotally attached at 23 to an operating lever 24 which in turn is pivotally connected to a supporting element 25 fixed to the pole B.

Secured to the insulating member of the movable contact assembly Sb is a contact support 28 o which is pivotally attached at 21 a contact 28, said contact being provided with an opening 28' formed therethrough and having laterally extended outwardly projected extensions 28 which are adapted to pass between and make point pressure contact with the pairs of contact elements at opposite sides of the contact-supporting plate 8.

of the stationary contact assembly. The contact 28 has associated with it a torsional coilspring 30 which is so arranged that it tends to move said contact to the position in which it is shown by dotted lines at the right hand side of Fig. 1.

In operating the switch unit thus far described from the open switch position of the movable contact assembly Sb as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to the closed switch position of said movable contact assembly as shown by full lines in said view, the operator grasps the operating lever and moves it in an upward direction. This transmits rocking movement to the rod l1 and because the movable contact assembly is fixedly mounted on said rod the upper end portion of the movable contact assembly is moved toward the upper end portion of the stationary contact assembly. When the contact 28 of the movable contact assembly Sb is out of contact with the contact elements l3 the torsional coil spring 38 maintains said contact 28 in the position in which it is shown by dotted lines in Fig. l and as the movable contact assembly approaches the closed switch position the forward nose portion of the contact 28 strikes the inclined face 3| of the contact-supporting plate 8 of the stationary contact assembly Sa. The outer portion of the contact 28 rides up this inclined face 3| to move the contact 28 to the position in which it is shown by full lines in Fig. 1 whereby the lateral extensions of said contact 28 are forced between the pairs of' contact elements l3 at opposite sides of the contact-supporting plate 8 of the stationary contact assembly to make point pressure contact therewith. The stationary contact assembly is provided with a buffer which comprises a headed element 32 with which is associated a shock-absorbing spring 32. The obvi ous function of this buffer is to absorb the shock when the movable contact assembly Sb is forcibly moved to the closed switch position, this being accomplished by the extension 28' striking the yieldable buffer 32.

Pivotallysecuredto the contact support28bythe pivot pin21 which pivotally attaches the contact 28 to said contact support is a link 33. The link 33 is comprised of a pair of spaced apart elements 33' (Fig. 3) which are joined together bya web of material34,and as shown in Fig. lthe web of material referred to is electrically connected to the contact 28 of the movable contact assembly by a flexible conductor 35. The link 33 has pivotally connected threaded openings 54 formed in the blocks.

to it at the end thereof which is remote from the end attached to the contact 28 a second link 38 and the opposite end of this link 38 is pivotally attached to a terminal 31 which is supported by and secured to an insulator 38. The insulator 38 is secured to the channel beam 2 through .the instrumentality of a bracket 38 to which the insulator is secured and which in turn is secured by volts 40 to the channel beam 2.

In order to pivotally attach the links 33 and'38 together I prefer to provide the link 33 with integral trunnions 4| which extend outwardly in opposite directions from said link. These trunnions pass through openings formed through spaced apart elements 38 which produce said link 38, and cotter pins or equivalent elements 42 are associated with the trunnions to prevent displacement of the elements 38' of the link 38 therefrom. As shown to the best advantage in Fig. 3 the link 33 is provided with an integral extension 44 which is round in cross-section and extends from one element 33 of the link to the opposed element 33 thereof in alinement with the trunnions 4|. In like manner pivotal connection between the link 36 and the terminal 31 is obtained by integral trunnions 45 formed on and extended outwardly from the opposite outer faces of spaced apart legs 31 of the terminal 31, which trunnions pass through apertures formed in the elements 38' of the link 38. Here also cotter pins or equivalent elements 48 are associated with the trunnions to prevent displacement of the elements 38' of the link 38 from the trunnions. Likewise an integral extension 31a round in cross-section, is extended from one leg 31 of the terminal 31 to the associated leg 31' thereof in alinement with the trunnions 45.

A conductor 41 is mechanically and electrically connected by means of -a suitable connector 48 to the terminal 31, and to provide for good electrical connection between the terminal 31 and the link 33 to which the contact 28 of the movable contact assembly is electrically connected by the connection 35, I provide pairs of rods 48 and 58. These rods are mounted in openings formed in spaced apart blocks 5| and 52 which are interposed between the spaced elements 38' of the link 38. The blocks are secured in place between the spaced elements 38 of the link 38 by screws 53 which pass through openings formed through said spaced elements 38' and are extended into screw- The opposite end portions of the associated pairs of rods 48 and contact with the extensions 44 and 31a, and as shown clearly in Fig. 2 the opposite end portions of the pairs of rods 48 and 58 are spread apart due to the fact that the extensions 44 and 31a are of a greater diameter than the space between the central portions of the pairs of rods. Because of this arrangement the rods contact with the extensions with considerable compressive force whereby close electrical contact between these parts is provided.

When the switch illustrated in Fig. 1 is in the closed switch position the links 38 and 38 are positioned as shown by full lines in that view, and when the links are so positioned electrical energy passes from the terminal 31, through the rods 49 and 58 to the link 33, and through the flexible connection 35 to the contact 28 of the movable contact assembly. When the movable contact assembly is drawn to the open switch position the links 33 and 38, which produce a toggle, move to the positions in which said link are shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. During the movement of the movable contact assembly to the open or closed switch positions the end portions of the pairs of rods 49 and 50 remain in close moving contact with extensions 44 and 31a whereby good electrical contact is provided between the terminal 31 and the link 36, and between the link 36 and the link 33, without the use of objectionable loose, flexible cables heretofore employed.

I claim:

1. An electrical switch comprising a stationary contact assembly, a movable contact assembly, means for moving said movable contact assembly into and out of electrical contact with said stationary contact assembly, a terminal for a line conductor, and means for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said movable contact assembly, said means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected together and pivotally attached to said terminal and said movable contact assembly, and an elongated, substantially rigid element supported by one of said links and contacting at its opposite ends with a part of the other link and a part of said terminal for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said other link, said opposite ends of said elongated element being displaced from alinement with the central portion of the elongated element whereby said end portions contact with said parts of said other link and the terminal with considerable compressive force.

2. An electrical switch comprising a stationary contact assembly a movable contact assembly, means for moving said movable contact assembly into and out of electrical contact with said stationary contact assembly, a terminal for a line conductor, and means for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said movable contact assembly, said means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected together and pivotally attached to said terminal and said movable contact assembly, an elongated, substantially rigid element associated with one of said links and contacting at its opposite ends with a part of the other iink and a part of said terminal for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said other link, and a member secured to the link with which the elongated element is associated for supporting said elongated element, said memher being provided with an opening through which said elongated-element extends.

3. An electrical switch comprising a stationary contact assembly, a movable contact assembly, means for moving said movable contact assembly into and out of electrical contact with said stationary contact assembly, a terminal for a line conductor, and means for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said movable contact assembly, said means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected together and pivotally attached to said terminal and said movable contact assembly, and a plurality of elongated, substantially rigid elements supported by one of said links and contacting at their opposite ends with opposite sides of a part of the other link and a, part of said terminal for conducting electrical en-y" ergy from said terminal to said other link, sa ti opposite ends of said elongated elements being displaced out of alinement with the central por tions of said elements whereby said ends contact with said parts of said other link and said terminal with considerable compressive force.

4. An electrical switch comprising a stationary contact assembly, a movable contact assembly, means for moving said movable contact assembly into and out of electrical contact with said stationary contact assembly, a terminal for a line conductor, and means for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said movable contact assembly, said means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected together and pivotally attached to said terminal and said movable contact assembly, a plurality of elongated, substantially rigid elements associated with one of said links and contacting at their opposite ends with opposite sides oi. a part of the other link and a part of said terminal for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said other link, and a member secured to the link with which the elongated elements are associated for supporting said elongated elements, said member being provided with openings through which said elongated elements extend.

5. An electrical switch comprising a stationary contact assembly a movable contact asembly, means for moving said movable contact assembly into and out of electrical contact with said stationary contact assembly, a terminal for a line conductor, and means for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said movable contact assembly, said means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected together and pivotally attached to said terminal and said movable contact assembly, pairs of elongated, substantially rigid elements associated with one of said links and contacting at their opposite ends with opposite sides of a part of the other link and a part of said terminal for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said other link, and a member secured to the link with which the elongated elements are associated for supporting said elongated elements, said member being provided with openings through which said elongated elements extend.

6. An electrical switch comprising a stationary contact assembly, a movable contact assembly, means for moving said movable contact assembly /into and out of electrical contact with said stationary contact assembly, a terminal for a line conductor, and means for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said movable contact assembly, said means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected together and pivotally attached to said terminal and said movable contact assembly, pairs of elongated, substantially rigid elements associated with one of said links and contacting at their opposite ends with opposite sides of a part of the other link and a part of said terminal for conducting electrical energy from said terminal to said other link, and a member secured to the link with which the elongated elements are associated for supporting said elongated elements, said member being provided with openings through which said elongated elements extend, said opposite ends 01 said pairs of elongated clements being displaced from allnement with the central portions of the elongated elements whereby said end portions contact with with considerable compressive force.

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